Portable stack lifter



Jan. 28, 1930.v R. TROMINE.

PORTABLE 'STACK LINER 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 o L-v-'ugoi A Wj,

I xttafneys Patented Jan; v2`8, 1930 UNITED' STATES ROBERT T. ROMINE, OFvMUNT CLEMENS, MICHIGAN PORTABLE STACK LIFTER Application filed AugustThis invention relates to aportable stack lifter or crane capable ofbeing propelled through relati-vely low doorways orf4 where restrictedoverhead room is provided. This stack lifter is particularly adapted tobe carried into or out of a freight car and is constructed to lift heavyloads from the Hoor of the car onto a truck platform or other conveyingmedium, or vice versa.

An object of the invention is to provide a stack lifter of the foregoingcharacter capable of having its height increased to cnable it to handleloads of" abnormal size.

Another object of the invention is to proported upon the lift truckplatform.

Other objects of this invention will ap` pear in the followingdescription and ap'- pended claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings forming a part of'thls specification wherein likereference characters designate 'corresponding parts in the severalviews. l

In the drawings: Fig. l is a side elevation ofthe stack lifter or craneembodying my invention with the v parts in their relative normalpositions.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the construction shown in Figl 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l showing position.

Fig. 4 is an end elevation of the stack lifter of Fig. 3. A

' Fig. 5 is a section takenalong the'line 5, 5

of Fig. 3.

Before explaining in detail the present invention, and the method 4ormode of operation embodied therein, it is to be understood thatthe'invention is,not limited in its application to the details, ofconstruction `and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, since the invention is eapable of otherl embodiments and ofbeing vpracticed or carried out in various ways. Also it is to' beunderstood that the phrasevide the stack lifter supporting leg structurewith means to be engaged by a lift truck platform for increasing theheight of the stackthe stack lifter in its elevated oradjusted 1',19'27'. serial 209,933.

oiogy employed herein is for the purpose of description and not oflimitation, and itis not intended to limit the invention beyond theterms of the several claims hereto appended or the requirements oftheprior art. -The portable stack lifter or crane embodying my invention isshown as a whole at =V and comprises a substantially arch-shaped framehaving four spaced side supports or legs, such as apair of front legs Aand a similar pair of rear legs A?. Each 'leg or' support is preferablyidentical in construction, comprising a pair of front and rear parallelstructural steel angle bars 10 and 11 respectively.

' The top frame of the stack lifter comprises al pair of end transverseangle bars 12 and a pair of longitudinal side angles 13. To provide anintermediate floor -or supporting frame'located below the top` frame,transverse channel bars 14 at the front and rear i ends of the stacklifter and longitudinal channels 15 at opposite sides of the frame work,are provided. The vertical leg members l0 and 11 and the members 12, 13,14, and 15 are rigidly connected together by means of gussetl plates16and.17 provided on opposite sides andends, respectively, at the top ofthe frame 4work ofthe stack lifter. l Hou'sedwithin the frame work atthe 'upper end is the hoisting mechanism, including reduction gearing,lifting drums and an'electricpmotor, all of these'last-mentioiied partsbeing shown and described in my co-pending application Serial No.133,374,1iled September 3, 1926. The

stack lifter is provided with a pair of lifting S5 bars or members Bwhich support at opposite ends sheaves or pulley wheels C." Gables Dpass about the sheaves Cv and are adapted to be wound upon' the windingdrumsE. In order to lift and lower the'bars-C, the electric 99 motor Mis operated and servesto wind or release the cables D thi-ou h themedium of the hoisting mechanism a ove referred to. A control lever G isprovided for .the purpose of supplying or'cutting oil"` the electriccur- "w rent for.operating themotor.

Each angle 11 is providedwith a brackets 18 and a guide member 19'preferably lin the formpf an angle and having vertically alined t guideholes through which extends the verti'- 10" cal stem 21, ofa lifting dog20, this stem be- Ling provided with a plurality of holes or apertures21. A removable pin 22 carried by each bracket is adapted to enter anyone of the apertures 211 to maintain the lifting dogs 20 in adjustedposition.

The lower ends of the side supports or legs A and A1 are preferablyprovided with extensions F comprising a pair of relatively large channelmembers 23 and 24 the overlapping flanges of which are preferablysecured together by means of rivets. The leg extensions or channels areconnected together in pairs by means of a metal bar or connecting member25 provided with pairs of holes or a ertures at opposite ends. These barand eg extensions are releasably secured in vertically adusted positionto the legs A and A1 b meansof pins 34 insertable through any i of t epairs of holes 1()a and 11a. A foot or ed caster wheels 27 and 28 areprovided.

Each front caster'wheel 2,7 is supported by means of a bracket 29carried by the front leg extension F and each rear caster wheel 28 ismounted upon a'pivoted arm 30 connected with the lower end of the rearleg extension F. The caster wheel 27 is normally urged downwardly intocontact with the ground by means of a coil spring 27. The caster wheel28 is maintained normally in contact with the ground by means of aspring 28a surrounding a rod or stem 31 carried by the forward end ofthe pivoted arm 30 and slidably connected with the member 25 at itsupper end through the medium of a bracket 32.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the slidable leg extensions Ftogether with the interconnecting bar 25, support the, springpressedcaster wheels of the stack lifter.

The lower ends of the vertical angles 10 and 11 of the forward and rearleg members are provided with a vseries of holes or apertures 10aL and11V". I y

When it is desirable to increase the height of the stack lifter, it ismerely necessary to.

move an industrial truck T having an elevating or lift platform L intoposition between the spaced legs of the stack lifter as shown in Fig.2.' The lifting dogs 20 are then brought into engagement withthe top ofthe lift 'platform and held in adjusted position by means of the pins22. The ins 34 carried by the inembers 25 are release and the platform Lelevated to move the legs A and A1 of thestack lifter upwardlyrelatively to the leg extensions'F until the height of.

the stack lifter has been reached, whereupon the pins 34 are replacedand maintain the parts in their adjusted positions. The diain readinessfor use. The reverse of this opso` eration is employed to decrease theheight of.

the stack lifter. j

In Figs. l and 2 I have shown the stack lifter in its normal positionoffse with the legs. and extensions telescopin sg. that the lower endsof the legs A and 1 engage the web or base portion of the plates 24. InFigs. 3 and 4 I have shown the stack lifter in an elevated or extendedposition the lower ends of the legs A and A1 being shown by the dottedlines 100.

The present stack lifter is particularly adapted to be carried into andout of a freight car on the lift platform L of thetruck T. Owing to thefact'that the freight car doorways have a certain maximum overheadclearance the normal height of the stack lifter is determined by theheight of the car doorway. This invention however permits the stacklifter to be carried thru such doorways and the height of the stacklifter to be increased within the car so as to increase the heightvofthe crane bay beneath the hoistingmechanism thely permitting loads orpacks of abnormal height to be lifted from the car floor.

What I claim is:

1. A ortable stack lifter comprising an arched rame having legs spacedto permit the introduction therebetween of a lift truck platform,hoisting mechanism carried at the4 top of the frame, telescoicextensions carried by the lower ends o said le s for permitting theheight ofthe stack ifterto be varied, caster wheels mounted on said eX'-tensions, and adjustable lifting dogs carried by said'legs and adaptedto overlie said truck platform.

2. Ina portablecrane, an. arched frame having depending pairs ofvertical legs, each leg comprising a ,main section and a teleloo scopicsection one located within-.the area of Y the other, a'bar rigidlyconnecting each pairof telescopicleg sections .at a side of `theframe,.a caster wheel structure supported by the bar and telescopicsections,l and means 'carried by the 'main legsections ada ted tocooperate with a lifting device to ena le the frame to be liftedvertically and to permit adj ustm'ent ofsaid telescopic sections.

a pair of legs, a wheel carrying support piv- 3. In a portable crane, van arched frame having spaced pairs of legs, a bar connecting a pair oflegs and slidable vertically thereon,

legextensions carried by said bar and slidable vertically therewith, anda pairof wheel carrying supports carried by said bar.

4. In a portable crane, an arched frame having spaced pairs of legs, abar connecting a pair of legs and slidable vertically thereon, legextensions carried by the bar, and a spring mounted wheel carryingsupport connected'pto a leg 'extension and yieldable verticallyrelatively to said bar. 1

5. In a portable crane an arched frame having spaced pairs of legs, abar connecting oted to a leg beneath said bar, and a spring between saidsupport and bar to resist swinging movement of the support relatively tothe bar.

6. In a portable crane, an arched frame having depending pairs of legs spaced to provide a crane bay, a bar connectlng each'pair v lof legs ,andslidable vertically relatlvely thereto, le extensions connected to saidbar,

and sli'da le vertically therewith, devices I carried by saidlegs abovethe bar and leg eX- tensions and adjustable into position to cooperatewith a lifting means-to enable the frame to be lifted or loweredvertically thereby to permit adjustment of saidleg exten- In testimonywhereof Iv alx my signature.

ROBERT T. 'ROMINE

